About Us
Bios | Other Services
Dr. Kelli Sandman-Hurleytop
 | Kelli Sandman-Hurley, Ed.D. is an author and co-founder of the Dyslexia Training Institute. She received her doctorate in literacy with a specialization in reading and dyslexia from San Diego State University and the University of San Diego. She is also completing her TESOL certification. Dr. Kelli is a certified special education advocate assisting parents and children through the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and 504 Plan process. She has training in mediation and also serves as an expert witness in the area of dyslexia. Dr. Kelli is trained in Structured Word Inquiry, the Orton-Gillingham approach, Lindamood-Bell, RAVE-O and Read Naturally. Dr. Kelli is a Past-President of the San Diego Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. She is a dyslexia consultant working with schools to improve services offered to students with dyslexia and training teachers. She co-created and produced “Dyslexia for a Day: A Simulation of Dyslexia,” and she is a frequent speaker at conferences. She is the author of the well-received books, Dyslexia Advocate! How to Advocate for a Child with Dyslexia within the Public Education System. Dyslexia & Spelling : Making Sense of it All, and The Adult Side of Dyslexia (Learn more about each book by clicking HERE.) |
Tracy Block-Zaretskytop
 | Tracy Block-Zaretsky is the co-founder of the Dyslexia Training Institute. She has provided remediation for children and adults with dyslexia for the past 20 years and has developed and taught workplace and family literacy program. She is a certified Special Education advocate assisting parents and children through the Individual Education Plan (IEP) and 504Plan process. She is a past President of the San Diego Branch of the International Dyslexia Association.Tracy has training in Structured Word Inquiry, the Orton-Gillingham approach, Lindamood-Bell programs, Read Naturally and a variety of reading and writing assessments. She co-created and produced, "Dyslexia for a Day: A Simulation of Dyslexia," and has provided professional development for educators and training for parents at numerous conferences, private on-site trainings and online courses and webinars. Tracy is also a parent of a child with dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADD and Executive Function Disorder. |
Brittany Martineztop
 | Brittany Martinez has worked with children in the general education classroom, including English Language Learners, and one-on-one with students with dyslexia. She worked at the San Diego State Children’s Center for four years while getting her Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies. Brittany continued her education and earned a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential to teach Elementary School. She has worked for the Dyslexia Training Institute for over five years and has been trained in Structured Word Inquiry, the Orton-Gillingham approach, and is a Special Education advocate assisting parents through the IEP and 504Plan process. Brittany wears many hats at the Dyslexia training institute, including providing one-on-one remediation, teaching online courses, and presents on-site trainings for parents, educators and private practitioners. |
Justyn Becktop
 | Justyn Beck has been with DTI since April of 2013 working with both children and adults. She is trained in Orton-Gillingham (OG) by the Dyslexia Training Institute and has also studied and uses Structured Word Inquiry (SWI). She started her career as a public-school teacher educating kindergarten and 1st grade students. Teaching reading, as well as instilling a love of reading and writing in her students, is a passion of hers and the reason she got into the profession. Language disorders have always been an area of interest for Justyn, inspiring her to complete a post baccalaureate in Communication Science and Disorders at the University of Florida. She is currently in a master’s program at Emerson College to become a clinical speech and language pathologist. |
Jennifer Lopeztop
 | Jennifer Lopez received her Bachelor’s Degree in Liberal Studies from Cal Poly Pomona and went on to earn a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential for Elementary Education. She has previously taught in pre-K and 4th grade classrooms. Jennifer also worked as a Reading Intervention teacher, meeting with small groups of students from kindergarten through 3rd grade. Her training includes Orton-Gillingham (OG), Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) and strategies for executive functioning. Jennifer jointed the Dyslexia Training Institute team in July of 2014. She enjoys providing one-on-one remediation with students of all ages as well as assisting with training educators and others who would like to make a difference in struggling readers’ lives. |
Angela Piertop
 | Angela Pier Angela Pier started early in her career working with early literacy development in pre-school children, children in the general education classroom, and aiding English Language Learners while earning her Bachelor’s Degree and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential at the University of Riverside. She taught kinder, first, and fifth grades for twelve years. Angela has worked for the Dyslexia Training Institute since March of 2015. She has been trained in the Orton-Gillingham(OG) approach and is a Special Education advocate assisting parents through the IEP and 504 Plan process. Angela is also a parent of a child with dyslexia. |
Katrina Championtop
 | Katrina Champion has been in education for the past 34 years and has worked with children in psycho-education (severely emotionally disturbed), BD/LD resource, home school, and Orton-Gillingham (OG) instruction in individual and small group settings. She designed and directed a program for struggling students that included: early reading intervention, dyslexia classes, and mentoring for middle and high schoolers. She has Bachelor’s Degrees in Middle Grades Education and Psychology, and a Master’s in Special Education: Behavioral and Emotional Disturbances in Children. She received Orton-Gillingham(OG) training through The Academy of Orton Gillingham and the Dyslexia Training Institute. She is Orton-Gillingham (OG) certified through the Dyslexia Training Institute. Katrina is also trained in Structured Word Inquiry(SWI), LIPS, Evaluating Students for Dyslexia, and The Complete Reading Series. Katrina is the parent of 3 adult children. ADHD and dyslexia are a part of her family life. |
Holly Justicetop
 | Holly Justice works with students who have been diagnosed with dyslexia or have characteristics of dyslexia. In 2004, she graduated with dual bachelor’s degrees in English and Political Science. She had aspirations to continue her education and pursue a career practicing law, but her career path changed after her son was diagnosed with dyslexia and dysgraphia. Holly is trained in the Orton-Gillingham(OG) approach, S.P.I.R.E, Recipe for Reading, Lindamood-Bell V/V, Wilson, Barton, Handwriting Without Tears, and multisensory math. She also serves as an educational parent advocate helping to ensure that public school students receive individualized and appropriate accommodations, modifications, and services. |
Tracey Christillestop
 | Tracey Christilles has been a special education teacher for the past twenty-eight years. She began her career teaching eighth grade in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. She has also worked in the New Hampshire public schools, beginning in Pelham and spent the last twenty-five years in Stratham, working in grades kindergarten through fourth. Though she teaches all subject areas, her favorites are reading and writing. She is trained in the Orton Gillingham (OG) approach and multiple reading programs, including Wilson, Lindamood-Bell, RAVE-O and Project Read. Tracey is certified as a Structured Literacy/Dyslexia Interventionist through the Center for Effective Reading Instruction as well as a Wilson Dyslexia Practitioner. She will be retiring from her current teaching position at the end of the 2018-2019 school year. Tracey began working at the Dyslexia Training Institute in March as part of the next chapter of her professional career. |
Emily Moratop
 | Emily Mora received her master's degree in speech pathology from The University of Virginia and is certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She also received her Dyslexia Certificate in Orton-Gillingham from DTI. Emily has provided one-on-one clinical evaluations and personalized treatment plans for over 15 years, first with adults with neurological impairments and now with students experiencing literacy and language deficits. She works privately with students ages 6-18 through her Mora Literacy practice. She has training and experience with clinical evaluation and providing remediation through Orton-Gillingham(OG), Structured Word Inquiry(SWI), vocabulary development, reading comprehension strategies, and written composition instruction. |
Bryndi Flinttop
 | Bryndi Flint has worked at DTI since 2020 as a Teacher Practicum Mentor. She is enthusiastic about her mentor role and enjoys overseeing the practicum process that supports teachers and parents in the taking theory into practice with students. Bryndi also works as a Literacy Specialist in an elementary school where she coaches teachers in the implementation of the science of reading and designs and teaches reading and writing interventions to first and second grade students. During the previous 16 years, she has worked as a Title One interventionist and at the classroom level as a first, second, and third grade teacher in public elementary schools. During her work with the Response to Intervention (RTI) leadership team, she developed a strong passion for understanding how to design individualized instruction for students who learned differently.
Bryndi holds an MA in Elementary Education and an ME.d in Reading. She is Orton-Gillingham certified through the Dyslexia Training Institute and holds a CERI Certification as a Structured Literacy Teacher through the Center for Effective Reading Instruction, a subsidiary of the International Dyslexia Association. Over the years, Bryndi has completed extensive professional development opportunities in research-based best practices, such as the LETRS® modules and the Wilson Reading System®. Bryndi loves working with students who learn differently, and she believes that empowering teachers and parents is key to helping all students succeed. |
Cori Saltzmantop
 | Cori Saltzman has taught in the public and private school settings for over 15 years as an elementary classroom teacher, technology specialist, and reading interventionist. In addition to her Bachelor’s Degree in General and Minority Studies from Wichita State University, she also obtained her Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Technology Integration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Prior to becoming a licensed teacher, she worked as an advocate with the Nevada Disability Law Center representing students in IEP meetings and Due Process proceedings. She received her Orton-Gillingham and Structured Word Inquiry Certifications through Dyslexia Training Institute after previously earning Nevada State certified endorsements in Literacy, Teaching English as a Second Language, and Technology. Currently, she operates a private tutoring business for clients who are Dyslexic or have Dyslexic indicators. |
Jennifer Salyertop
 | Jennifer Salyer has worked one-on-one with students through DTI since 2019. She uses the Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) approach and has a certificate through DTI in Orton-Gillingham (OG). Prior to this Jen taught preschool and early literacy work for nearly 10 years. She has a bachelor’s in Sociology from University of California, San Diego with a minor in Teacher Education as well as a Master’s in Early Education from Walden University. She enjoys working with struggling students of all ages to foster growth in the areas of reading and writing. |
Becky Kriegmantop
 | Becky Kriegman provides part-time office support at DTI. Becky works full-time in the public school system as a Certified Sign Language Interpreter working with deaf and hard of hearing students and teachers. |
Other Servicestop
The San Diego Learning Centers of the Dyslexia Training Institute offer one-on-one and small group remediation/tutoring in reading, writing, spelling and critical thinking skills to students of all ages. We use research-based methods including Structured Word Inquiry (SWI), Orton-Gillingham (OG), Lindamood-Bell programs, Read Naturally, etc. Instruction is customized to the students current skills and needs. All instruction is administered by highly-trained and experienced specialists.
Additional Site Services:
- Advocacy for Special Education Services
- On-site trainings and simulations
- Remediation/Tutoring Services : On-site tutoring at tour San Carlos/Del Cerro and Poway locations and Online
